Measurement of Steam Quality in Two-Phase Upflow With Venturimeters and Orifice Plates

Abstract

An experimental program has been carried out to investigate the measurement of steam quality with Herschel venturimeters and orifice plates. Data are presented for vertical upflow of steam/water mixtures at 980 psia, through venturimeters and orifice plates of 2 1/2-in. and 3-in. pipe size and with four throat-to-pipe diameter ratios. Total flow rates ranged between 15,000 and 100,000 lb/hr and steam qualities between 5 and 90 percent. The data have been correlated in a manner enabling explicit calculation of steam quality, from measurements of other experimental parameters. Comparison with other data shows that the orifice plate correlation may be used to calculate steam qualities in the range of operating pressures 70–980 psia and in pipe sizes from 2 1/2 to 8 in.